


Summerlands

by TheSpaceCoyote



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Borderlands Summer Bingo, Dragon AU, M/M, Mob AU, Sugar Daddy AU, Tassiter Omega AU, fancy omega AU, mermaid au, mostly AUs though there's a few more canon pieces, sorry for my life choices, will add others as I post them all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2018-12-16 13:43:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11829921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/pseuds/TheSpaceCoyote
Summary: Just a compilation fic for all the entries made during the Borderlands Summer Bingo! MostlyRhack with a sprinkling of Jackothy! Primarily AU-oriented.





	1. Humidity

**Author's Note:**

> Just needed an easy place to compile all my entries for the Borderlands Summer Bingo event! Mostly AU because I'm a total hack, but oh well. I hope you guys like it!
> 
> First up is the prompt of "humidity" featuring my mob ABO AU that I haven't posted here yet but well. Jack is Russian and a hit man and Rhys is an American mob boss who he works for now. Mostly just fluff ish.

“My  _God_ ,” Jack moaned, pressing the back of his hand against his sweaty forehead, “how do you live like this?”

“Well, first off, we don’t bitch and moan about it.” Rhys replied tersely from his perch on the couch, where he was busy twisting a vanilla and strawberry popsicle deftly between his bright pink lips. He was dressed lightly, in a pair of navy shorts and a breezy white dress shirt. His legs were bent under him as he lazily sucked on his popsicle, and the sight would have been arousing to Jack if not for the sweltering heat that was consuming him.

What a day for the air conditioner in Rhys’ fancy apartment to break.

“Why is….is the air like soup?” Jack groaned from his position on the floor. He looked positively unkempt, so far from his usual prime and polished appearance as Rhys’ bodyguard. His hair was wet with sweat, dark strands plastered against his forehead as sweat dripped down his tan skin, running uncomfortably all the way down his neck and to his exposed chest. He’d shed the thick charcoal suit he had been wearing and completely unbuttoned his stiff dress shirt, revealing his soaked undershirt and the necklace of interlocking gold rings hung low around his neck. Still he was suffering in the shimmering hot air that seemed to swarm all around him, and only his shred of dignity preventing him from stripping completely down to his boxers.

“That’s just how New York is in the summer. The real question is why don’t you own any clothes other than suits and jackets?” Rhys snarked from his position on the couch, hair moving lightly in the breeze from the small fan he had blowing directly on him. Sadly even the fan was little comfort to Jack, who merely slid further, back sticking to the hardwood floors, sweaty skin fogging up the glossy finish.

“I didn’t….I didn’t think it would get  _this_  hot,” Jack complained, scrunching up his face when his dog came clattering back into the living room, licking her muzzle clean of water from her dish. The black borzoi nuzzled her owner’s cheek affectionately, lapping at his sweaty face.  

“Angel….нет, Фу!” Jack growled, grimacing as he eased her away. Usually he welcomed affection from his pet but the last thing he wanted right now was warm, humid tongue rubbing up against his skin. Angel whined, before turning and hopping up on the couch with Rhys and snuggling up to the omega’s flank.

“You’re so  _mean_.” Rhys pouts, wrapping his arms around Angel and snuggling her close, letting her lick his face and bump her snout against his jawline.

“She is  _warm_. I need to be less warm.” Jack moaned, rubbing his temples. Rhys frowned, petting Angel’s flank as he tilted his chin to the side.

“Mmmm, well, if you don’t  mind swimming in your boxers, we could go out to the pool.” Rhys’ smiled perked up at the edges at the idea of his handsome bodyguard standing shirtless besides his magnificent pool. The omega himself, of course, relaxing in a comfortable chaise lounge, his thighs squeezed just right by his blue spandex briefs. A margarita in his hand, sunglasses inched down to get an eyeful of his alpha’s sculpted ass?  _Yum._

“As long as it is  _cool_  I will do anything.” Jack groused as he slowly sat up, his skin making a big show of peeling away from the sweaty hardwood. Rhys sucked off the last of his popsicle, eager as he hopped to his feet and ran off to change into a new swimsuit he’d bought a few days ago, already mentally noting to buy Jack an equally sexy pair to match.

New York summers weren’t exactly known for their mercy. Jack would have a  _lot_ of time to show his new suit off.


	2. Berry Picking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was for the prompt "berry picking" and features the fancy omega AU with Rhys and Cyrus being cute together.

“Mama! Mama, I found it!” Came Cyrus’ happy little voice from the woodsy clearing ahead. Rhys chuckled, following his eager son up the dirt path towards a cluster of bushes, fluttering green and yellow in the gentle breeze. Cyrus was pointing insistently at them, practically hopping up and down in front of them with his little yellow pail swinging from one chubby fist. Rhys grinned as he finally caught up with his eager little boy, crouching down besides Cyrus to take a look at the plump strawberries shining red in the light filtering through the trees above.

“Oh wow, good job buddy! You really did find them!” Rhys marveled, ruffling Cyrus’ hair proudly. The boy giggled happily, preening under his mother’s attention before setting his plastic pail on the ground, which was quickly joined by Rhys’ own, larger one. Rhys carefully took Cyrus’ hands, showing him how to properly look for the largest, ripest strawberries and avoid getting his fingers caught on the thorny stems.

“Are we gonna make a pie outta these mama?” Cyrus peeped curiously as he dropped a handful of shiny berries into his little pail, licking some of the stray juices off his sticky fingers and accidentally smearing some of it on his cheek before he resumed picking more. Rhys was busying himself getting most of the berries from the top part of the bush, where Cyrus couldn’t reach, resisting the urge to pop one of the riper ones into his mouth.

“We can make lots of things with them…strawberry pie, strawberry tarts, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry ice cream…”

“We can make  _ice cream_?” Cyrus gasped, clapping his cheeks to his face and succeeding in smearing even more strawberry juice and errant little seeds all over his skin. Rhys shook his head with a chuckle, crouching down by his son and using the hem of his shirt to dab at Cyrus’ sticky face.

“Oh yeah, we can  _definitely_  make strawberry ice cream.” Rhys licked his finger, rubbing at a stubborn spot on Cyrus’ cheek, the boy’s face scrunching up in protest before resuming his excited expression.

“But…how is that possible!” The boy chirped, tongue sticking out as he tried to connect the dots between the warm, slightly squashed berries in his pail and the frosty glory that was ice cream. Rhys laughed, patting his son’s now-cleaned face.

“Ice cream magic, buddy, you just trust your mama okay?”

Before long, both of them had full pails, berries piled so high over the rim that some of them tumbled off into the dust as they walked back towards the quaint little vacation home tucked amidst the calm, verdant forest. With any luck, Jack would still be taking his afternoon nap, and Rhys and Cyrus could surprise him with some fresh strawberry ice cream by the time he woke up.


	3. Sharks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt was "sharks" so I decided to do a merman AU! Enjoy.

Rhys knew that his parents would be mad if they knew he was taking things from the fridge, but that didn’t stop him from stuffing a little plastic bag full of lunch meat from one of the plastic drawers. He grabbed a little carton of cheese crackers and a box of juice as well, because it was hot out and it was a little bit of a walk to get where he was going.

Rhys was getting to the age where his parents were more willing to leave him alone, especially since both of them worked even when the boy was home for the summer. So no one was there to stop Rhys as the boy grabbed the spare key, clumsily locking the door behind him before trundling down through the crude path in the greenery surrounding his house. Much of the homes in the area were surrounded by lush coastal forest, thankfully preserved despite the development of the area.

Rhys carefully continued walking even the the ground started to get loose and muddy, his little tongue stuck out in concentration as he did his best not to slip. Slowly, he could hear the sounds of his destination—a little stream that cut through inland from the nearby ocean, full of swirling, brackish water and fish that often traveled from the saltwater up inland for spawning and hunting.

Rhys crouched down by the edge of the pool, eyes scanning the water as he opened the cartoon of cheese crackers and carefully setting a couple afloat in the gently turning water. He watched the crackers for a few moments, and just as disappointment started to set in, something broke the surface and snatched the crackers in a whir of clawed hands and teeth.

“There you are!” Rhys proclaimed happily, grin reaching from ear to ear as the small, sleek head popped above the surface of the water, stuffing its face with the orange crackers as it blinked wide, green and blue eyes up at Rhys.

The boy had discovered his new friend only a few days ago, while he was trying to catch toads at the muddy banks of the stream. The creature in the water was sort of like him, looking like a young boy maybe a couple years older than Rhys from the waist up, if you ignored the gill slits and unnatural eyes and really really sharp white teeth. But where his legs should be was only a smooth, sleek gray tail that looked like the sharks in Rhys’ picture books.

Rhys hadn’t told anyone about what he had found, too worried that his new friend—who he’d named “Jack” after his old fish—would be taken away. So for the past couple of days he had been sneaking food out to him, watching as his friend slowly regained his strength. Rhys had asked him questions about how he got there or where his mommy and daddy were, but Jack wasn’t really a conversationalist…. _or_  didn’t know how to speak English.

“Yeah? You like the goldfish crackers, huh? Almost as good as real ones.” Rhys stated as he upended more in his hand, before setting them down into the water. He was careful to keep his chubby little fingers away from his friend’s snapping jaws, giggling happily as Jack greedily gulped down the food before swimming closer, looking up at Rhys with slitted, expectant eyes.

Rhys barely had the cold cuts out of his bag before Jack was snatching for them, shoving the meat into his ravenous mouth with tiny, claws little fists. His tail splashed with delight at the food, quickly emptying the bag before going in to nuzzle affectionately up against Rhys. The other boy giggled, ruffling his fingers through his friends damp hair as he relaxed in his lap.

Rhys was sad the next day when he went back to find that Jack was no longer there, no matter how many goldfish crackers he sent adrift in the water. Though loneliness tugged at his chest, he tried convincing himself that Jack had merely been reunited with his parents out in the open ocean. A balm to his sadness was the little, ivory shark tooth he found half buried into the mud at the bank of the river, which sat in the drawer by his bed for months before he had his mother fashion it into a cute little necklace, a constant reminder of the strange friend he’d met on those sunny summer days.

* * *

Rhys had been so sure that he was about to die.

He had felt his consciousness, his fight to live, struggling underneath the inky pull of the ocean as the cold, suffocating waves had pulled him under. He remembered seeing silvery bubbles burst from his lungs, remembered the fear that had seized his heart at realizing this was the end, that there was nothing he could do and that nobody could save him now. He’d clawed at dark nothingness, screaming out the last of his air as he’d started to black out, and then—

And then out of the dark he’d felt something firm and surprisingly warm grab his hand and yank him up towards the surface. His head had broken the water as whatever had grabbed him had pushed him up, supporting his bulk with its own to keep him afloat above the surface. He’d taken several painful, hoarse breaths, colors popping in his eyes as he’d felt whatever was holding onto him slowly moving him in the direction of the surf. Waves had crashed over the top of his head as he’d slowly been urged to shore, his knees finally hitting the rough sand as he fell on all fours, still gasping and choking up burning saltwater as he tried to get back to breathing evenly.

He’d eventually collapsed onto his side in exhaustion, inhaling heavily as his vision slowly swam back to him. It was a couple more moments before he became aware of something heavy shuffling and moving behind him, still a mere dark fuzzy shape to his recovering senses. He’d jolted when he felt something trace over his heaving chest, his hand snapping up dumbly to grasp a smooth, warm wrist.

Rhys had nearly lost his breath again when his vision had finally swum into place, letting him see the creature that was hunched over him. Rhys saw the teeth first, exposed and brilliant in the moonlight behind a downturned lip, followed by the wild, wet hair slicked down in places while stuck up in others. Slits in the creature’s neck pulsed. Something wet and smooth flopped against Rhys’ side, drawing his sight to see a glistening  _tail_  twitching up against him.

A scream started to build in Rhys’ chafed throat, his hands digging into the sand and ready to fight, when suddenly he noticed the creatures eyes.

An inhuman blue and green, almost glowing in the moonlight—but wholly familiar.

“I…” Rhys began, his own eyes widening, but anything that he wanted to say was cut off as a clawed, strong hand slid under the shark-tooth necklace still hung around Rhys’ neck, lifting it off of the young man’s heaving chest.

“J….Jack…?” Rhys croaks, staring up at the powerful merman who had just saved his life. Jack closes his hand around Rhys’ necklace, expression so oddly contemplative as his eyes flick up to the young man’s face. When the merman’s lips move, his voice is as deep and rolling as a deep sea current, sending shivers up his spine.

“ _Rhys_.”


	4. Gardening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More mob AU fluff :)

Though Jack had been staying in Rhys’ large, luxurious home for awhile now, there were still parts of the grounds he had yet to explore. They were pretty expansive, after all, and while he occasionally prowled outside of the home to ensure that the perimeter was secure, he didn’t have much time for leisure outside of the home.

But with the coming spring—the first spring since Rhys had properly taken over the position as boss—as well as the relative calm amongst most of the mob families lately, Jack felt more comfortable in exploring the expansive gardens that ringed the elegant pool in Rhys’ yard.

He had forfeited his heavier suits for a light, charcoal blazer as he brushed past the well-manicured hedges and nubile rosebuds, which were nice enough on their own but didn’t particularly draw Jack’s eyes. Still, the bodyguard smiled to himself, enjoying the walk through the smooth paths throughout the gardens and the light breeze that kissed his temples and ruffled his hair.

Jack was surprised to come across a free patch of dirt at the end of one line of rosebushes. Raising his brows, Jack crouched down, brushing his hand over the soil. It seemed of good quality, ready to be planted in if only a careful hand would tend to it.

An idea bloomed in Jack’s mind, and the next day, when Rhys was busy working in his office, Jack slipped out and returned with several small packets and a tiny, aluminum trowel and watering can.

He felt bad hiding things from Rhys, but on the list of things that could be hidden from the mob boss, he assumed that planting flowers was fairly low in terms of severity. As soon as he had a moment of time he slipped back into the garden to find the little patch of dirt, lovingly planting the seeds under the clear blue sky and warm, calming sun.

He checked on his little garden periodically, whenever he felt it was safe to slip away from Rhys and stroll out into the grounds. One morning, he got up a little earlier than usual, the pink of dawn just starting to streak out over the sky as he crouched by his little patch, heart leaping in his chest as he saw the little hint of green saplings slowly start to peak out from the dirt.

“Ой, здравствуйте!” Jack gasped, feeling something oddly light and happy rise up in his chest at the sight of his pretty little sprouts. He reached out, carefully touching one little green leaf as if it were made of spun glass.

“So, this is where you’ve been running off to.” Jack froze, startling as he looked over his shoulder, immediately rising to his feet as he saw who was watching him.

“R-Rhys!” The bodyguard stuttered, turning around and spreading his arms out, as if it would do any good to protect the little sprouts  _on the ground_. “What are you doing after bed?”

Rhys hadn’t even bothered to change, still clad in his matching teal and white silk pajamas, feet bare against the cool cobblestone. The omega had an amused smirk on his face as he approached, peering down between Jack’s legs to catch a sight of his little garden.

“I didn’t know you had a green thumb, Jack, this is like….really adorable.” Rhys tittered as he brushed past the flustered bodyguard to crouch down next to the little garden.

“Awwww, look at them! They’re so cute….what are you growing?” Rhys asked, sounding genuinely interested which did much to ease Jack’s worry at being caught. Expression softer, the bodyguard got on his knees next to Rhys.

“Mostly crocus, chamomile….will be very beautiful when they bloom. But also some dill, oregano. Basil too. Зайчик enjoys Italian food lately.” Rhys chuckled softly as he reached out to carefully touch one of the little saplings.

“Let’s be honest…I like all of your cooking.” Rhys turned to look at him, a genuine smile on the young omega’s face as he tilted his head, resting it against Jack’s shoulder.

“We should plant more stuff like this….my dad had all of these hedges and rosebushes planted when we first moved in which…they’re  _okay_ but…your idea has a lot more character.”

“Ah, you don’t have to—“

“It’s okay, I want to.” Rhys stated, tipping up his chin to kiss Jack’s cheek affectionately.

“It’ll be something cool for us to make… _together_.”


	5. Catching Hermit Crabs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff with shark!Jack and seahorse!Rhys. Mpreg in this drabble. Enjoy!

Jack grunted as he hefted the wiggling pack awkwardly about his shoulder, annoyed at how its weight offset his swimming balance, even as he cut a fairly clean line through the water. He wasn’t particularly pleased at being sent out so early in the morning to retrieve something as trivial as  _snacks_  but despite his scarred, hardened appearance, he didn’t particular want to cause his boyfriend distress by denying him some of his favorite treats.

Jack made it back to Rhys’ home in no time, flicking his tail sharply in the water as he dived between the snug crags amongst the flowering coral peppering the rocky outcropping that Rhys called home. He pushed his way through the thickets of seaweed, the way lit with little bioluminescent fish trapped in scavenged jars and bottles. He swam the last little distance to the little rock chamber that Rhys called home, where the merman was floating comfortably, bathed in the sunlight from the surface and creeping through the open cracks and holes in the room of the cave.

There Rhys was napping, half laying half floating in the warm water with his tail gently curled around a nubby stalagmite. Glinting golden jewelry drifted off from his wrists and throat, his auburn hair waving softly in the soothing current.

But what drew Jack’s eyes the most was the same thing that had been commanding his attention for the past couple of weeks—the prominent swell of the seahorse’s creamy belly, full of life grown from his and Jack’s own indiscretions.

Jack eyed the merman’s midsections as he carefully un-shouldered his pack, flicking any hermit crabs that were trying to crawl out of the writhing bag and escape. How was Jack supposed to know that it was  _male_  seahorses that carried the young, much the less that he and the shark were at all compatible in that way? Now here he was, gathering snacks to sate the appetite of his pregnant mate.

“Mmm….Jack? Is that you?” Rhys mumbles as he stretches, showing off his needly little teeth and pink tongue as he arches his back, belly jutting out even further in the water as he smiles over to the shark.

“Yeah, sunshine, got you like a whole ecosystem’s worth of hermit crabs in this here bag.” jack smacks the side of the bag with his tail, hands on his hips as he grins with pride. Sure Rhys had a ravenous appetite, especially with his belly full of offspring, but Jack had gathered  _hundreds_  of the little bastards and there was no way that Rhys would be able to—

“Hermit crabs?” Rhys rolled onto his side, hands palming thoughtfully over his belly as he sticks his lower lip out, “Mmm….I’m kind of more in the mood for shrimp.”

Jack’s narrow eyes flashed, tail whipping into the bag in shock and sending its contents spilling out all over the sandy cave floor.

“What.”

Rhys wiggled around in the water, his tail curling and uncurling against the stalagmite as he fussily changed positions.

“Shrimp sounds really good right now. Just….a big bag of fresh shrimp.” Rhys licked his lips, eyes sparkling at the idea of shoving handfuls of shrimp down his craw. “Please Jack? Please?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I just….I just spend like two hours catching these for you!” Jack growled, tail angrily sweeping away the freed hermit crabs that were now trying to scale his fins.  

God and there Rhys was giving him those wide, moist eyes that the shark couldn’t say no to. Damn it. He was an apex predator for crying out load! He should be out ripping open full frown tuna with his bare hands, overtaking sea turtles and cracking their shells apart. He could smell blood from miles away, so why was he here hunting snacks for some stupid—

 _“Pleaaaaaase_ , Jack?” Okay, that did it. Jack felt his heart ache at the sight of Rhys’ pleading face.

“All right,  _fine_ , I’ll get some of your precious shrimp.” Jack growled as he upended the bag, spilling the last clinging hermit crabs to the floor before angrily swimming back out into the open ocean.

He would return hours later to find hoards of empty shells scattered all over the floor and a very satisfied looking Rhys, whose eyes lit up nevertheless at the very full pack of fresh shrimp that Jack tossed into his greedy hands.


	6. Wine Tasting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack sucks at doing rich people things. :0

What made Rhys think he could have a nice afternoon out?

It had gone well enough in the beginning. He and Jack had pulled up to the quaint little vineyard, chatted a little bit with the other couples, and even sampled some fruit and cheese that was absolutely to die for. Rhys had relaxed, figuring that nothing could possibly go wrong.

But then they’d brought out the wine. And Rhys had realized far too late that Jack had  _no idea_ how to properly do a tasting.

For someone with millions of dollars to spend at his leisure, Rhys figured Jack would know at least a little bit about the kind of procedural etiquette that came with bougie activities like tasting wine. At the very least, Rhys thought that Jack understood the concept of  _tasting_ , that this wasn’t a frat party or a competition, and that the emphasis was on variety rather than volume.

They were four wines into the tasting when Rhys had realized that his husband had drunk his  _entire glass_  instead of spitting, and by then it was far too late to do anything except fervently apologize as he tried to pry his tipsy husband off of the poor, balding accountant Jack believed had been making eyes at Rhys.

“You think I didn’t notice…notice the way you’re lookin’ at him?” Jack slurred, shaking the man by his grey blazer. “I’ll frikkin’ kill you…idiot…”

“Jack,  _stop it_ , let go of him!” Rhys hissed, arms wrapped tightly about Jack’s waist, trying to pull him away while not yanking his tipsy ass completely, likely taking the hapless young man with him. Jack swayed with Rhys’ efforts but still shook the terrified man in his clutches.

“You…you think you gotta bigger dick n’ me or somethin’? Thinkin’ you can just whip it out and steal my husband…well guess what, dumbnut? I’ll show ya exactly what you’re up against—!”

“ _Okay_ , no!” Rhys screeched, cheeks bright pink as Jack finally let go of the man only to start fumbling with his zipper. The young man slapped aside Jack’s hands, cupping his own over his crotch as to shield it from Jack’s drunken machismo. The older man stared dumbly at the hands covering his junk, only for a lecherous, drunken grin to spread over his face.

“ _Oooooh_ , Rhysie, you sly little thin—“ Jack belched loudly, swaying in place as Rhys carefully turned him around, sliding his arm underneath Jack’s pits to support him as he tried to drag the older man back to their car.

“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry….sorry…” Rhys apologized limply, digging in Jack’s pocket for his wallet and shoving some hundred dollar bills to the poor accountant’s stunned wife, as well as the sommelier who had been running the tasting. No one was going to call the police on the CEO of Hyperion, but damn it, Rhys felt  _really_  bad that his asshole of a husband had caused such a scene for these people.

“I’m never taking you  _anywhere_  ever again.” Rhys hissed as he shoved Jack into the passengers seat, aggressively belting him down as the older man tried to get handsy with him, only for Rhys to slap him away and wag a stern finger in front of the man’s dazed eyes.

“You’re not getting  _any_  of this until you make it up to me. And you’re going to have to get me a  _whole_  new wardrobe to make up for this.”

Jack responded by pitching sideways and throwing up all over Rhys’ slacks.


End file.
